Craft Day

There is an art and craft festival in Midland today that mom and I are headed to here in a little bit. Here's some of the quilting that went into Patty's table runner...

Ribbons and curls

When Jim and I were in West Branch last night we stopped at Culvers and got a concrete mixer with a side order of onion rings. It's our weekly "naughty" treat. I must be destined to be a quilter...

Q is for Quilting

It's kind of cold out there this morning so I'm dressed in layers for the art thingie. Jim said he was going to play Susy Homemaker while I was away all day which actually sounds funner than what I'll be doing. 

Old and New

 

Where I spent my summers

This is our old cottage. This is two occupants later after my mom sold it. There used to be a huge Poplar tree in the center of that yard. The lake is right behind the photographer from this angle. 

They tore this down last summer.

Here's the new cottage...

Nothing cottage-y about this place

It's not a cottage anymore but rather a rather large house. That closes a chapter of my life I'll never see again. 

It's funny how time marches on and waits for nobody. I can't believe it's Friday already. I have two customers coming today and I'll be working on that table runner I showed yesterday. Off to my nail appointment. 

So...

Life is cruising along with a cast on the hand. I can't believe what a chore it is to do what may seem mundane to most. Typing, brushing teeth, and rethreading a machine. Try threading a long arm needle with a bulky cast on. Ha!

Bernadettes quilt should have been done yesterday. When I finish it later today I'll be moving over to Bernie to work on this birthday table runner for Patty...

Such a great idea!

Or, maybe not. Yesterday was a sluggish day for both Jim and I and hopefully today will be better. He's getting my cold (I think) and I'm at the coughing portion of mine; but am fighting these [new] allergies too...hopefully that's all this is.

Music Genres

I listen to a variety of music genres. It depends on what I'm working on, and, what my mood is. Yesterday was old light hits from to 70's and 80's; gotta love Lionel Richie. Today feels like a country music day.

Here's some of the quilting going into Bernadettes Summer Village...

Lots of texture!

I have the first pass done and will be working on this for a few days. This stupid cast sure is slowing me down considerably, but at least I can do a little something.

Jim mowed last night and the yard looks GREAT! But talk about firing up my [new] allergies. He stopped by this morning to let me know his bulk truck is broken and they are running to West Branch to pick up a different truck for him. He won't be home for lunch. Bleh!

Forgot To Mention

When I went to Guild last week up in Oscoda, I stopped at a new quilt shop I hadn't been to ever. Erin Matthews Quilt Shop. Such lovely ladies and a cute shop to boot. They found out I was the quilter on one of the shop hop quilts and we did a quick live feed on FB and then I found some stuff to purchase for the long arms...

Some new rulers and cleaning swabs

Those cleaning swabs are priceless! They are small enough to get into the bobbin race to eliminate the oily lint build-up. Her price was the best I've found yet. The rulers are a set of Amanda Murphy circles I've had my eye on for quite some time and again, her prices were pretty good.

I stayed out of the studio the whole weekend since Friday was a quilting marathon and I wasn't feeling well. I still have a cough, but I'm on the mend I guess.

My baby turned 31 yesterday and we chatted with them in Germany for a while. They seem to be enjoying their new digs and life there and are settling in well. 

My cast is becoming gross. Dirty. Stinky. I'm so over this already and have hardly even started this portion of healing. Bleh. 

Here's what I'll be working on today...

Bernadette's Summer Village by Laundry Basket Quilts

I've checked on how others quilted this and I didn't care for much of what they did; meaning I'll do my own thing...as usual.

Feeling Used

I drove to my appoitnment on Friday and was introduced to one of the oldest machines I'd ever laid eyes (or hands) on. 

This was the machines insignia

Not only did the customer not have any bobbins wound but the thread she purchased for quilting was serger thread. Serger thread is not strong enough to handle high speed long arming. Her husband came in to try to help with the bobbin winder and he achieved zero success.

Eventually, even after pin basting her quilt back onto both leaders (she helped very little here and I was working with my broken hand), we unloaded the back, gathered everything up, and headed here. Her husband would come get her later. This was at around 11:15.

Did she want to stop for a bite to eat? No money. I bought lunch because there was no way, with the way I was feeling (coming down with a summer cold) was I going to able to work five hours without gas in the engine.

We arrived back here around 1:00. I immediately got to work. She kept trying to show me pictures. He arrived a few hours after we did, to pick her up, and kept crowding my work space. Leaned on my machine. Brought coffee into my studio (NOT ALLOWED!). She did nothing to help (I had to chalk one of the borders) until the very last two blocks in the last border and even then I had to ask her to do it.

More pictures, more chatter, more questions. Jim and I measured the quilt and "billed" it out for her to give to her client she was so pressed to get the quilt done for. I charge $.55/mile when I teach or go to an away location...

This is one half of the trip

The whole day billed out to over $300. When they finally left a little after 6:00 I received $25 in payment. W.T.F.?????????????????????? 

Jim and I were so damaged from the audacity and inconsideration we were mentally bruised through the rest of Friday night and most of yesterday. I lost a whole day of actual customer work, I racked up milage on my truck, not to mention the gas I ate (at $3.19/gal.), I was getting sicker by the hour and the $25 she paid me didn't even cover the lunch/tip I forked out that afternoon.

Never. Ever. Again!

EVER!

Quilting Urgency

I received a text yesterday for a request to come on-location to teach/complete a twin-sized top west of our house about an hour away. This weekend. Ummm...no, it's a holiday and like all other businesses I'm closed until Tuesday once today is finished.

Could I come today? Well, since I had finished Evelyns quilts I said I could. Because I'm nice. Because I love sharing the art of long arming. Because this lady sounded pretty panicky. 

I'll be working on a very (very, very) old Singer Stretch. I could not find ANY information on this machine. AI didn't even know a thing about it let alone Google or YouTube. Adventures are fun, right?

Once I get back I'll be starting this quilt for Bernadette if I get back at a decent time... 

Another Tilda

She initially wanted just an E2E in here, but we're not going to do that, are we? Here's the other thing...I've been getting tired way easier than usual the past few days. Like, at 6:00 I'm done for the day. Then yesterday afternoon I started coughing a bit, eyes itchy, sore throat, a little achy. Yep, I think I'm coming down with a cold. 

Every time I go down state to visit the grandkids I get sick. Since my symptoms started on Wednesday, I'm thinking that's where I probably picked up this stupid bug. Well, off I go to see what this old Singer long arm will do.

Goofy Week

I did long arm yesterday but the morning was spent on the phone with customers and other people. This morning is beginning to start out the same.

I'm on phone with the kids in Germany right now and texting a customer about going to her house for a long arm lesson tomorrow morning and receiving a spam call all while blogging.

Here's some of the quilting going into what I'm working on for Evelyn...

Hydrangea quilting

After working on this quilt all day between phone work, I moved over to DW and had to call Jim in to re-level and adjust his rails. He was pinching so badly that I could hardly move him. OMG my cast is already starting to get a little stinky. Two more weeks on this one? UGH!

Customer coming sometime today and I'll be working on Evelyns quilt(s) some more. Another cold (40's) and cloudy, damp day which is a recipe for quilting success. 

Half Day

Only worked a half day yesterday and still managed to get Amandas quilt done...

A meander was all that would work

Since I was working with exterior and interior seams, bulk, and a variety of jeans material, about all that was going to be able to go in here was a meander.

I had to contact the boys on how to figure out the area of the next three pieces...

One of three

There are two small (like this one) for placemats and then one large for a table topper. I'll be working on these today once I get them loaded. I'm still frame ironing the back.

Meanwhile, guild was great last night and it was wonderful to see quilt people again! We did a long arm Q&A with Ethyl, Tracy and me answering questions from members about what we want from a piecer when we get a top in to be quilted.

Rain, rain, and more rain expected today with temps only in the mid-50's; great day to work in my little corner of heaven. 

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

Yep. I can long arm. My hand was sore after working yesterday but I can do it. What I can not do is trim the quilt. Or even use scissors for that matter.

Kathy's quilt is done and I'll be moving over to Marty to work on Amanda's quilt today...

A Memory Jean Quilt

This will be getting a large meander E2E in it and thank goodness I have the opportunity to change out needles on the Bernina machines. And thank goodness I have some jeans needles around here somewhere. Some of the jeans in here are mighty thick.

I won't be here all day today as I'll be running up to Oscoda for the QQQG meeting. I'm going to leave a little early to visit with the girls up there before the actual meeting starts. And, I'm also picking up two tops to bring home to work on for Judy.

Colder today and yesterday--mid 50's with northerly winds. Back in the turtle necks.

Still Not Motivated

I'm already pretty sick of this cast!

Mothers Day flowers from Jim

I walked a half mile this morning trying to get into the right head space and that didn't work. Maybe blogging will help?

I've done nothing out in the studio all weekend so here are more flower pics...

From our bushes

Everything becomes a high level of frustration and then I have a hot flash. So, I've been having lots and lots of them. UGH!!! I need to find my happy place again. 

Not Motivated

One of our lilac bushes

When I have customers in and out all day (yesterday's two turned into three), I lose my mojo and then the last customer was late in the afternoon and that turned into a total bust for the rest of the day. Here's some spring flowers to brighten any day...

Headed to Lansing today for Hannah's birthday. She's our eldest granddaughter and she turns nine already!

Cast Day

My new six week friend

Good news-I don't need surgery. Bad news-I have to wear this cast for a total of (I'll get two) six weeks.

Haven't tried to long arm yet. I know I can't cut fabric so sewing is out. Even blogging is difficult. This is going to be a challenge. I did wrap my arm and secured the bag with duct tape for my shower, but shredded the bag when taking it off. 

We did some errands after my appointment to include going to Meijer and even selecting things off the shelf was a new experience. We picked up a relatively inexpensive zip jacket I could cut the cuff off of to accommodate the cast during colder weather...which we have coming tomorrow. I need to fuss with that today so I can make it work.

It is what it is and it's not the end of the world; I just have to adjust and carry on.

Two customers expected today to drop-off. Here's crossing the fingers (on the left hand) on the long arming front. 

Teaching Today

I'm up in Hale teaching today so not much long arming. But I am able to long arm! For now. 

After tomorrows ortho appointment that may be a different story. 

Taking the neighbors tree down

While long arming this was going on. And, after long arming tried cutting fabric for the next portion of my Tilda quilt and that's a solid no-go. 

Nervous

I'm a little nervous to try to work today. Am I going to be able to do it?

I forgot to share what I purchased in Ohio at a quilt shop my brother took me too...

Three new patterns

The Laura Heine Pig one is going to be for my brother. He runs in a Marathon in Cincinnati called the Flying Pig and he saw this and actually really liked it. He can put it into his office.

The seam rippers in the middle will go nicely with my needles wall hanging in my studio. 

And the third one is just something that caught my eye. I like making smaller things in the summer and these should entertain me for a while. IF I can even do anything after my appointment on Thursday.

Consumers is at the road today taking part of the Bellers' tree down that has died. Word is they are finally going to take the one down between our two properties that lightning nailed two years ago as well. 

Well...wish me luck. 

Well...This Should be Interesting

Even writing my blog is becoming a challenge.

Broken finger

I fell down the stairs at my brothers house the very first hour we were there. I put off getting it looked at until I got back home. 

X-Rays showed a break in my pinkie. I see an ortho hand specialist on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, I have this cumbersome contraption until then. 

I'm going to try to long arm a little tomorrow. I just got home today from moms pacemaker surgery and had to be up this morning at 4:00. I'm too tired to do much else so I guess while she is home resting and recovering I'll take it easy the rest of today as well.

Didn't post yesterday...

I love the soft pinks/peaches in these daffodils

...because after I got all the morning chores done I needed head to town to get nails and errands done.

By the time I got home it was nearly time to make lunch. 

Then I had to pack, which I hadn't yet started. Once that was done, the neighbors were up (oh, and the other neighbor I don't normally talk to wanted to bend my ear for almost an hour and a half). 

We lit a campfire and caught up with what was happening until late last night. 

Heading to Cincinnati right after I get done blogging to spend the weekend with my mother and brother. Oh boy. 

What's Your Favorite Time of Day?

Do you have a favorite time of the day? Sunrise, sunset? After work? During work? Or a time during the day where you get to do your favorite thing? Mine is probably right now while I'm blogging. The sun is rising for the day. The girls are in their post-breakfast coma. The house is quiet save for the low music out in the studio. 

I have several great times of the day, but blogging ranks right up there in the high point of my day. When Jim comes home safe from work every day; of course that's above blogging. 

So, I got the two quilt backs switched and I'm working on Bernie even though this pic was taken while on Marty...

Kathy's Pumpkin Haul

Since my three-week mad rush getting grad/wedding quilts done, I've kind of lost a little steam. I noticed it Monday. It picked up yesterday, but I was more interested in getting other stuff done; rearranging the bedroom, trouble shooting DW (he's pinching in the front of his frame and dragging badly), and rearranging the studio to accommodate moving the batting rolls out there. 

I did get the first part of Kathy's quilt worked, but haven't gotten much further. The lighting was horrible so no pics yet. 

After working on "other" stuff, I was able to construct the rest of the sewing machine blocks in the Tilda top...

All 10 are pieced

Moving along to the 'notions' blocks next, but probably not anytime soon. My nail appointment was moved to today since I'll be gone Friday for my normal appointment time. Once I get some Moms Day errands done, I have to pack and I still need to do some long arming. 

Happy logistical Friday!

What Makes a Long Armer Smile?

There are a number of things we long armers love to have happen when working on a quilt; seam threads trimmed, measured borders, seams pressed well. But the ultimate happy thing is when you have even stitches on the back and front of the quilt, which is a sign of good tension.

Prewound bobbins were giving me fits instead of good tension. Or so I thought. Upon further inspection, found my bobbin case to have a ball of lint/thread stuck in the tension arm thingie and this was causing some issues yesterday.

Once discovered, the tension was dead on. I smiled from ear to ear once I got it straightened out. 

Patty's quilt is done. I have a top ready to baste in on Marty, BUT, the next backing I pulled to frame iron on Bernie was rather large. And the one on Marty isn't. I'm going to swap those two out this morning because I'm not fighting with a huge quilt on Bernie and a small quilt on Marty. 

Need to swap these two out

After Patty's quilt was finished, I cut a few pieces out for the next set of Tilda blocks (I thought I needed 12 of each block, but turns out I only need 10) and set those aside and decided DW needed to be fired up. I hadn't touched him since he came back two Friday's ago from Gall. 

But first...mowing. Yep, it's that time of year. It's great living the north because we are two or three mows behind the downstate folks. And we'll stop a few mows before they do too. While Jim was on the big mower, I was pushing the area in front of the studio, the little area between both decks, and the dog pen. I ran the weed whipper dead after mowing and then came inside to work some more in the studio. 

DW is stitching great, but for some reason, is dragging towards the belly bar. And I mean dragging badly. I adjusted some of his cables in back and was kind of tired at that point so don't know if that was a fix or not. I decided to work on a few pieces of the next set of sewing machines. Alas, I have two sets of three finished...

The first set of three

The next set of three

These are fun to make. Linda over at Pieces said it was a difficult pattern, but so far so good. Although, the pattern writer said these were the easier of the sets of blocks so maybe that's why I don't find them all that hard. 

Raining all day today. Had a customer show up unannounced yesterday to pick up but nothing earth shattering expected today. A good day to crank up the tunes and do some rearranging. Which I've already started because we have to get the spare bedroom rearranged and free of most batting. 

Not a Quick Project

The sewing machine is constructed in three parts. Some of these parts are tiny, tiny, tiny. Between Saturday afternoon and yesterday morning, I was able to get 2/3's of the first three machines assembled. There are 12 machines in all and these are the easier blocks to make (according to the pattern writer). 

That's okay, I'll just keep chipping away at it a little at a time. I'm in no hurry. 

So not my colors but I'm loving them regardless

More work on Patty's quilt today. It may be a done situation before close of business if I really hunker down. I need to get it finished before leaving on Thursday.

Oh, did I mention that? Our second annual Cincinnati pilgrimage is Thursday. Mom and I go visit my brother instead of him having to come up here all the time for the weekend. We are cutting it a day short this year because of her pacemaker appointment a week from today.

So, logistically it's my Wednesday this week. But Happy Cinco de Mayo if you celebrate it!

Just Couldn't Resist

The last thing I need to be doing is making another quilt top. Despite my previous blatherings about not starting something new before the Pineapple quilt was done...well...

This is a must

The quilt on the far, south wall of the studio has been up nearly a year now. It's time to replace it. This one is perfect and while I love the Tilda fabrics, have never made anything out of them. Pieces had a kit with all the necessary fabrics and I dove right in after lunch. We never did make it to Bittersweet but I got a fair amount of books to get me through the summer from the library sale. 

I have the top portion of the sewing machines all constructed; the easiest of all the segments needed. All the background pieces are also cut for the entire sewing machine area and will only have to cut the colored pieces as I go.

The neighbors are getting a new roof and it sounds like we've walked into a Latino party with the music they are jamming to out there. Don't know if they'll be working tomorrow since it's Cinco de Mayo. 

Spring Flowers

That darn bird is trying to make another nest in the rafters of the studio porch. It truly is spring. 

Here are a few of the flowers around the yard blooming in their glory...

Errands to run this morning: The semi-annual library book sale, Pieces of Thyme, Bittersweet Quilt Shop, and Family Farm and Home. Grilled cheese and soup for lunch since it's not any too warm out today and it's overcast and dreary looking. I'm hoping to hop on one of the long arms later this afternoon. Or, hey, how about some piecing that I haven't done in ohhh, like three weeks. 

2 out of 3

The kids received their second load of household goods this morning. The third load isn't goods, but rather their brand new car. Which is still floating around on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic. But they are spending the day unpacking.  

And trying to get the cat out of the underside of the couch which has a hole in it and he's found it rather soothing in there where it's dark and quiet. 

Back to quilting stuff. Here's some of the quilting going into Patty's quilt...

I love how this is coming out

I've gotten about 2/5th's of this completed and will continue on today. I need to run around and exchange brochures for the price increase and the library is having their semi-annual book sale this weekend, but not today for me. I want to get this piece done to round out my May deadlines. 

Maybe tomorrow. I'm on the phone with the kids right now and have to get busy. 

InstaGram (IG)

There was a discussion on IG the other night about custom versus edge-to-edge (E2E) quilting. Many of us have had to raise our prices and this is resulting in a few customers wanting E2E quilting instead of custom work. Custom is obviously more expensive, but a fellow quilter was worried that it's "going out of style". 

I had to interject indicating that, because I was one of the few custom quilters in the area, my custom queue is pretty full. She was relieved to hear that and seemed more reassured this was just a phase she was experiencing with her current clientele where she lives; somewhere out west I believe. 

Another long armer said her custom quilters in the area have either retired or expired and there is no longer anybody available in her area to actually do the custom work. I'm getting more on my end for this reason as well. I had a lady call from the NW side of the state yesterday looking for a custom long armer and one of my visitors on Monday was downstate indicating the same. 

At any case, it's not dying. In fact, custom work seems to be trending higher in my opinion. Remember, one data point does not scientific data make. I can't imagine any quilt going to show not being custom quilted. And since shows trend the masses, it seems to reason custom work will always be here.

Speaking of which, Paula's quilt is quilted. I still need to remove and trim and call and bill, but the quilting is done. 

Once I get through all of that administrative stuff, I'll be working on this quilt today...

Patty's couch gift

This is another May deadline I'm trying to fulfill. I doodled on this one for a short time, but know what I want to get in here once I get it started, so not much doodling needed really. And of course, it's colder out today so the furnace in front of Bernie will be running intermittently so many breaks today.